The Newton Rams boys basketball team continued to receive accolades for a stellar 2016-17 season, as they finished No. 4 in the final Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Class AAAAAAA Top 10 poll. 

Newton ended its season with a loss in the Elite Eight round of the state tournament to eventual state champion Tift County. 

J.D. Notae, the 6-foot-2 senior guard and Jacksonville signee, was named to the AJC’s Class AAAAAAA first team, while sophomore point guard Ashton Hagans was placed on the second team roster. 

Senior Isaiah Miller was named honorable mention, as the Rams were the only team in Class AAAAAAA to have players placed on both the first and second teams and honorable mention. 

The Rams also finished as the state’s No. 4 ranked team, regardless of classification, in the MaxPreps.com rankings. 

On the girls side, Newton junior guard Lexii Chatman was the first name listed on the Class AAAAAAA all-state honorable mention list. Chatman was the only girls player from Newton County to make an all-state squad.

Here is the entire 2016-17 Class AAAAAAA AJC Boys All-State Team: 

Player of the year: Collin Sexton, Pebblebrook

Coach of the year: Eric Holland, Tift County

First team

F Rayshaun Hammonds, Norcross, 6-7, Sr.

F Preston “P.J.” Horne, Tift County, 6-7, Sr.

G J.D. Notae, Newton, 6-2, Sr.

F Chuma Okeke, Westlake, 6-7, Sr.

G Collin Sexton, Pebblebrook, 6-2, Sr.

Second team

G Al Durham, Berkmar, 6-4, Sr.

G Alex O’Connell, Milton, 6-5, Sr.

G Ashton Hagans, Newton, 6-4, So.

G Isaac Okoro, McEachern, 6-5, So.

G Darius Perry, Wheeler, 6-2, Sr.

Honorable mention: Micah Johnson, Tift County; Donald “Bubba’’ Parham, Brookwood; Isaiah Miller, Newton; Lance Thomas, Norcross; Travis Anderson, Grayson; Danny Lewis, Westlake; Elias Harden, Pebblebrook; Tyree Crankfield, Campbell; E.J. Montgomery, Wheeler; Drue Drinnon, Pebblebrook